Indonesia experienced a severe air‑quality crisis in September, when both wildfire smoke and everyday pollution reached dangerous levels. Understanding this event helps us see how air quality can directly affect our lungs and lifespan.

According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), about 57.8 million people in Indonesia breathed unhealthy to hazardous air in September, a record compared with previous months. This massive exposure set the stage for serious health impacts.

CREA estimated that 3,560 deaths occurred within days of exposure to fine PM2.5 particles from wildfire smoke in September. An additional 1,750 deaths were linked to non‑fire sources such as power generation, industry and transport, bringing the month’s total to 5,310.

CREA reported that nationwide the average population‑weighted PM2.5 exposure was 36 µg per cubic metre in September, more than seven times the WHO’s annual guideline of 5 µg. Such levels are considered hazardous for health.

Indonesia’s Health Ministry recorded 333,470 cases of acute respiratory infection in seven fire‑hit provinces, with nearly a quarter of those cases in children under five. The government deployed more than 72,000 personnel, 2,106 health workers and distributed 5.3 million masks to combat the blazes.